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The Robert Carver extracts come from the Sixteen’s recording
of his music which came out in 1997 and which was, I presume, a studio
recording. The Cornysh pieces come from earlier discs of music from ‘The
Eton Choir Book’ recorded in 1991 and 1992 at St. Bartholomews, Orford
in Suffolk (if I remember correctly). These were originally on the Collins
Classics label. The Macmillan and the motets by Ramsey have been recorded
very recently on 4 July 2002 in fact at St.Michael’s church in Highgate.
The whole lot assembled for immediate release has been done most successfully
probably in an attempt to make James Macmillan’s new work quickly available
soon after its first performance over Easter this year.

It is an excellent idea to put alongside Macmillan’s
beautiful, deeply spiritual, setting Carver’s extraordinary 19-part setting,
particularly as this is such a fine performance. The stratospheric top
parts need control and a sure technique, which these sopranos have. It
is rather a pity that such a dry and unhelpful acoustic was chosen for
its recording. If you want a more atmospheric acoustic for this masterpiece
then you should obtain the Capella Nova/Alan Tavener CD (on ASV Gaudeamus
GAU 124) recorded in the fine historic church of St.Michael Linlithgow
to the west of Edinburgh. Sadly, however, the singing is simply not a
match for the Sixteen, the sopranos sounding quite stressed at times.
The same criticism applies to the Mass movement by Carver also recorded
by Capella Nova.

William Cornysh senior wrote church music whilst it seems
his son wrote the secular music we associate with the Henrican Court of
the years after 1520. The father was a great composer I believe. Listen
no further than these two works to be convinced. How wonderful to hear
the ‘Ave Maria Mater Dei’ given space and a glorious acoustic, something
which the Cardinall’s Music on their disc of Cornysh’s Church Music (ASV
Gaudeamus 164) should learn from. Their performance is one minute quicker
than the Sixteen’s. The Cardinall’s Music offer a fine recording of the
‘Salve Regina’ also recorded here. This is glorious music.

Although I have been involved with church music for over
forty years I have never sung any music by Robert Ramsey, (which like
the Macmillan has been especially recorded for this CD), a Cambridge based
musician who may have studied in Italy. I say ‘may have’ because his rather
dramatic Latin Holy Week settings seem to be thus influenced. In fact
Gesualdo was almost brought to mind. I am reminded of the little known
Walter Porter (1587-1659) who had been a pupil of Monteverdi c.1616 and
was at that time probably based in Cambridge. Ramsey’s English settings
are sometimes termed ‘motet-madrigals’ and are more in the tradition of
Weelkes and Tomkins; indeed the text ‘When David heard’ was set, equally
wonderfully, by both of those composers.

It is the James Macmillan which is the outstanding work
even in this illustrious context. I firmly believe that as a church music
composer, when he has spiritual words to excite him, he is far more committed
and inspired than when he writes for the orchestra, especially the recent
works. Think, for example, of the moving ‘Cantos Sagrados’ (1989) and
of the more recent ‘Magnificat’. ‘O bone Jesu’ is outstanding and so ‘caps
off’ to what is an outstanding new release.

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